Olympus SP-565 UZ (Digital Compact Cameras)

This redesigned superzoom model has a good set of features, though its substandard lens keeps it from being a capable shooter.

Compact and lightweight for a superzoom camera; extensive scene modes and intuitive menus; camera pouch included

Distortion and fringing clearly apparent

Compared with the other superzoom cameras we've tested, such as Canon's PowerShot SX10 IS, the Olympus certainly holds its ground. Though there are a couple of differences that may sway shutterbugs to choose one over the other, the Olympus looks much...

Why Buy the Olympus SP-565UZ?

This 10 MP ultra zoom camera from Olympus can be a good choice for amateurs.

20x optical zoom, Dual Image Stabilisation, Good range of scene modes, Good Macro and Super Macro performance, Minimal shutter lag, Guide Mode, EVP with Diopter adjustment. Good flash range

ISO 3200 & 6400, Burst mode and Pre-Capture only available at 5 MP or below, Evident noise in most pictures, High barrel distortion at wide angle, Soft corners at telephoto, Confusing Menu system

The Olympus SP-565UZ is a super zoom camera with a 20x optical zoom lens. It has a range of advanced setting and controls. This camera is suited to anyone who sees photography as a hobby and needs a long lens to zoom in on distant subjects. Read my...

Features - Design

Faster turn on time

This is a typical super zoom digital camera. I found very few negative points and it is able to handle most situations. It has plenty of features to get to grips with and is well worth considering if you are looking for a camera with extra zoom power.

Olympus SP-565 UZ digital camera : Raise your photographic potential with the world leader in the ultrazoom category. Featuring a 20x wide zoom lens (26-520mm), the affordable Olympus SP-565 UZ digital camera lets you shoot like a pro without having to...

It may not look like it at a glance, but the Olympus SP-565UZ has a 20x zoom lens with a maximum focal length of 520mm. It's aimed at users who want a...

20x zoom lens, image stabilisation, comfortable to hold and easy to use, good for macro shots

Photos lack contrast, noticeable noise above ISO 200, noticeable barrel roll, images look soft

The SP-565UZ packs a lot of useful features for manual photography, but its image quality doesn't cut the mustard. Consider this camera if image quality isn't your primary concern and you are just interested in its zoom and super-macro capabilities.

The Olympus SP-565 UZ boasts an extraordinary zoom range, a full 20x magnification equivalent to a huge 26 - 520mm zoom in 35mm photography, all in a compact 13-ounce body. The camera offers a full range of automatic and manual options, making it...

- Impressive zoom capability. - Nice balance of manual and auto controls - Easy to use for beginners and advanced users alike. - Reasonably priced.

- The viewfinder screen looks pixelated. - Not much of a grip on the left side.

At $400, the SP-565 UZ is a bit more expensive than the average point-and-shoot, and clearly bulkier, but it offers much more functionality. Adecent 20x zoom lens alone on a full-sized SLR would be far more expensive than the entire Olympus SP-565 UZ...

With 20x optical zoom and a tiny footprint, the SP-565 UZ is a competent superzoom, let down by some lens and picture issues.

Compact and lightweight for a superzoom ; Extensive scene modes and intuitive menus ; Included camera pouch! Oh joy of joys

Distortion and fringing clearly apparent

Conclusion Compared to the other superzoom cameras we've tested, such as the Canon SX10 IS, the Olympus SP-565 UZ certainly held its ground. There are a couple of differences that may sway a photographer to choose one over the other — the Olympus looks...

The smallest and lightest of Olympus's current ultrazooms, the Olympus SP-565UZ represents a minor update to its sibling, the 570UZ.

Full feature set addressing the needs of experienced photographers as well as the snapshooters ; Helpful on-board user guide ; Decent performance on several levels ; Natural-looking colors ; Good detail capture at low ISO settings ; Base ISO of 64 ;

Lens distortion at extreme focal lengths ; Tendency to clip highlights in high contrast shots ; Relatively small (2.5 inch) LCD compared to other Olympus superzooms ; Purple fringing along high contrast edges ; Only two levels of JPEG image compression

Going up the ISO ladder, of course, increases image noise. Visible shadow noise becomes evident at about ISO 200 but even the amount of image noise at ISO 400 will deliver very nice prints. At ISO 800 and 1600, you should keep prints at snapshot size...

THE Olympus SP-565UZ does well for super-macro photography, but images may require a fair amount of post-processing.

20x zoom lens, image stabilisation, comfortable to hold and easy to use, good for macro shots

Photos lack contrast, noticeable noise above ISO 200, noticeable barrel roll, images look soft

The SP-565UZ packs a lot of useful features for manual photography, but its image quality doesn't cut the mustard. Consider this camera if image quality isn't your primary concern and you are just interested in its zoom and super-macro capabilities.